


Blooming

by Audzilla28



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: M/M, Male Homosexuality, Reader-Insert, guzma/(male)reader - Freeform, guzma/male!reader, guzma/reader - Freeform, im gay, ive butchered guzma too much im sorry, reader/guzma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-23
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-11-17 14:42:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11277396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Audzilla28/pseuds/Audzilla28
Summary: AU where you are are colourblind until you touch your soulmate, mashed with the idea of a bud that appears on your body, and a bit before you meet your soulmate, it blooms into a flower the same colour as your soulmate's eyes.You flower bloomed before you wanted it to. In a panic, you distanced yourself from your home, and travelled to Alola before you were destined to meet your life-long partner.Who knew you'd you'd be meeting them earlier than expected?





	1. Humble Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> yeah i may have butchered Guzma's character a bit and im sorry but heck
> 
> this is self-indulgent whoopsies but i made it reader-insert so y'all can enjoy
> 
> please feel free to criticize, i'm always open for constructive criticism and feedback!
> 
> also i have no idea how to add indents on this website so pls dont destroy me about the indents im s or ry

You were young when it sprouted. The gray bulb that predicted your life-long love.

You were out playing with the neighborhood kids, and after a long afternoon of running around with Pokémon, your mother had called you in for your nightly routine. Dinner, bath, and then bedtime. After you had eaten your fill, you mother herded you down to the bathroom. You sat on a covered toilet as your mother filled up the tub. Your mother turned to you, tugging your shirt over your head, and she gasped. You followed her gaze, confused. A dark lump sat on your upper right chest. A bud. Your mother clamped both of her hands down over her mouth.  
“Honey?” She called out, dazed. Your father shuffled into the bathroom, and looked expectantly at your mother. She pointed, her finger shaking slightly. Your father followed her quaking point to you, sitting confused on the covered toilet, half-clothed. His eyes opened, then his face melted into a soft smile. He put his hand on your mother’s shoulder. “We’ll explain it after his bath,” he said reassuringly. You kicked off your shoes, and pulled off your socks as your mother continued with your bath with a dazed and hazy expression.  
You slipped into your pajamas, wiggling contentedly gently as you still felt the warmth from the bath throughout your body. Your mother guided you by the hand to the living room, where you sat between your parents on the couch. You cocked your head to the side, not having expected the change in routine. Your mother flashed your father an ecstatic, forced-back smile as she sat down. Your father took a breath, then drew up his shirt, and exposed a beautiful tattoo across the left side of his chest. A flower, the shade of your mother’s eyes, painted the side of his torso. Your mother pulled down the collar of her shirt to show another flower, peeking out across her right shoulder, the shade of your father’s eyes.  
“They’re the colour of your soulmate,” your father explained slowly. You nodded in acknowledgement. “It-“  
“It’ll bloom a bit before you meet your soulmate,” your mother cut in, poking at where your green bud was engraved in your skin. She took your hands. “Someday, (y/n), you’ll meet a beautiful girl, and she’ll be your soulmate, and-” She stopped, your father’s hand on her shoulder, on her flower.  
“Your bud appears early in your life,” your father said, his voice filled with excitement and love. “It’ll bloom a few weeks or even a month before you meet your soulmate. The colour your flower is, it’s the colour of your soulmate’s eyes. Once you meet your soulmate, and touch them, you’ll see the colours.” He pulled you onto his lap. He placed a hand over your upper chest. “You should embrace life as it is for as long as you can, before it blooms,” he suggested. “But that’ll happen later in life.” He paused to ruffle your still-wet hair. “Let’s get you to bed. You can show all your friends your bud tomorrow. We can take you to the professor after school, and get you your first Pokémon, how ‘bout that?” You nodded excitedly. “Daddy, what Pokémon are there?” You asked.  
“Usually, the professor has a bunch of ‘em,” your father began, picking you up and bringing you down to bed. You yawned, the monochromatic view darkening.

\----------------------

You faintly recall that memory as you lay in your bed, staring at the ceiling. It was just past midnight, but sleep was nowhere to be found. You traced your hand over where the dark bud used to sit upon your chest. You tugged your collar up, and looked down at your chest, expecting the mark to be gone. You stared, in shock, at the lightly-shaded flower blooming on your chest. Through your very limited knowledge of basic flowers, you recognized a daisy, somehow. The edges of the petals were slightly crumpled, and a few even slightly torn. You released the collar. With a daunting realization, you concluded you didn’t have much time before you met your soulmate, and settled down with them. You turned to the side, glancing at the monochromatic pokeballs laying on your nightstand. You counted them, making sure they were all in check. Three lone Pokémon. You wondered how long you could still adventure with them, now that you were due to meet your soulmate soon. What if your soulmate didn’t like Pokémon? What if she didn’t like adventuring, or running around, or just any of your main activities? You buried under the blanket.  
You thought of paradise. Beautiful flowers, not like the stupid daisy on your chest. They bloomed along the roads you travelled, finding Pokémon around every plant. Eating berries, or jumping out at you, or lazing around… You were, for the first time in years, afraid of what the future held. You remembered a commercial you had seen a few weeks ago of a chain of islands… What was the name again? Aholei…? A…You struggled to recall the name. Your eyes flickered with remembrance. Alola! You had your savings for when you needed them, and you decided it was time. Tomorrow, you planned, you’d show your parents your flower. You’d tell them you wanted to see the world before you settled with your soulmate. You’d pack, and travel to Alola, and rent a house there for a bit. You faintly recalled something about Pokémon trials. You figured you’d go through those. They sounded like a good challenge for you and your Prinplup, Slowbro, and Haunter. Maybe you’d finally find another addition to the team.  
You slipped into a comfortable sleep.  
Oh how you never realized the plan life had for you.  
Your parents, thankfully, took the news well. Your mother was so excited, you’re pretty sure she’d almost passed out. You father gave you some money to support yourself with, and you were so grateful. You figured you’d need it after a while. You did your research, found a nice, reasonably-priced, reasonably-sized house for one person and three Pokémon. You booked a flight for the next day. You began packing what you could, money, clothes, precious belongings, and other necessities. In the middle of the process, you got a call from the airport. With your ticket, they wouldn’t allow Pokemon to be taken along. Your heart sank. You couldn’t take them with you…? You called them out of their containments. They sat in your room as you explained the situation to them. Your parents would watch them as you journeyed.  
You could barely sleep from excitement and dread, but in the late hours of the night, ended up getting a text from a number, calling himself a Professor. Interested, you continued the conversation. His name was Kukui, and he had heard of your travel plans. He invited you to meet with him, and he’d help you adjust into island life. You greatly appreciated his offer and accepted graciously.  
Your stomach fluttered as you hugged your parents good-bye. You’d really miss them, you made a point to call them throughout your expedition. Your mother looked like she wanted to cry, but stayed strong, and offered her support, even if there was a time difference. Your father clapped his hand on your shoulder.  
“Son,” he stated. “Go.” You understood his meaningful words, nodding. You wiped your eyes hastily as tears threatened to run down your face. The taxi driver sat in the car, watching awkwardly. You hugged your parents one last time, put your luggage into the trunk, and sat yourself in the back of the taxi. The driver turned around.  
“Kiddo,” he snivled. “You sure know how to make a grown man cry.” You stared at him, wide-eyed. He turned around, pulling out a tissue, a blew his nose loudly. You shuffled awkwardly in your seat. “Let’s go catch us a plane,” the driver exclaimed. 

You felt your stomach lurch as the plane landed. Thankfully, you had a window seat, and there was an empty seat between you and another person. The plane slowed, passing tropical foliage. Your stomach was filled with anxious butterflies as you waited at the luggage pick up. You spotted your bags, grabbed them, and headed for the exit. The Professor Kukui was supposed to meet you there. You stepped outside, horribly unprepared for the blast of warmth and humidity you were greeted with. You immediately began sweating in your sweatpants and t-shirt. You spotted a sign with your name written on it, held by a nice-looking, tanned man in a lab coat, with, for some reason, no shirt on underneath, shorts, and a hat. You shuffled over to him nervously, and he seemed to spot you.  
“(y/n)?” He asked.  
“Kukui?” you questioned. He grinned, releasing the makeshift sign from one of his hands, to greet you with a firm handshake. His face changed into a concerned one.  
“Now that you’re here in Alola, you gotta learn how the natives do it,” the professor said dangerously. He folded up his sign, shoving it into a pocket, and waved both hands in opposite ways. “Alola!” He exclaimed. You copied his movements hesitantly.  
“A...lola?” you faltered. Kukui slapped a hand onto your shoulder.  
“There you go!” he exclaimed. “You’ll blend in in no time.” He looked you up and down, realizing your clothes. “Maybe not…” he trailed off. “Let’s get you to your island.” He pulled out a weird tablet, tapped a few buttons, then pocketed it. The professor noticed your confused face, and let out a hearty chuckle.  
“This is a ride pager,” he explained. “Here in Alola, the pokemon aide us. We provide them love and protection, and they return the favor with transportation and the like.” You nodded in approval as a Charizard landed in front of you. Surprised, you scramble back.  
“What the heck!” you sputtered, surprised by the elusive beast laying non-threateningly at your feet. Kukui gave a hearty laugh as he hopped on its back, and motioning for you to join him. He tells the Charizard to grab your luggage please, and take the two of you to Akala island. The Charizard raises its head, positioning itself as you sat on the back warily. As the its wings began to flap, you grabbed on to Kukui. He laughed as you both flew into the sky and you screamed out of terror, tightening your grip on the professor. You leveled out among the clouds, the sun just starting to touch the water, casting what you could only assume was beautiful shades of grey across the tropic sky. After your initial panic, you glanced at your view. You relaxed your grip, taking in the view, up in the sky. You let out a soft, gleeful laugh. The Charizard dipped suddenly, and you scrambled to hold onto Kukui. You landed on an island with a huge volcano on it. For a second, you worried about an explosion, but realized there wouldn’t be a city and towns on the island if it wasn’t contained properly. The Charizard let you down in a grassy field a bit off from the base of the volcano.  
“This is Route 6,” the professor explained. “Your house should be a bit up, I’ll walk you up there.” You nod, and he starts walking up the path, dragging one of your bags behind him. You slung another bag over your shoulder and left another in tow behind you. In the fading grey light, you walked up to an illuminated condo. You walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. Stepping back, a gentle, middle-aged looking woman stepped out.  
“Ah~ you must be (y/n)!” She exclaimed. She waved her hands like Kukui did, and you repeated the gesture hastily. “So glad to see you’re here in one piece! Let me show you around the house.” She paused for a moment. “I’m Linda, by the way, thank you professor for getting him here.” Kukui shrugged.  
“Just doin’ what I can.” Kukui looks up at you on the porch. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning, I’ll show you the islands, ride pagers, and just about everything you could think to ask.” He ends his sentence with a wink, catching you off guard. Your face flushes, as he waves good bye, starting his trek to where you presumed he lived. You waved back to him, and Linda pulled you inside, showing you around.  
“This is the living room, the kitchen, which I put in some basic food for you, I hope you dont mind,” she steered you down a short hallway. “This is your bedroom, the bathroom, and a guest bedroom.” She stopped, patting you on your shoulder. “I’ll be here if you ever need an ear to listen. Me and my wife live a bit farther down the route,” she explained. You nodded.  
“I’ll keep that in mind.” She released her soft grip on your shoulder, dangerously close to where your flower lay on your skin. She pressed two keys into your hand.  
“For the house, ones a copy.” She smiled softly. “Just in case.” Linda turned and walked down the hall. You stood, waiting. You heard the screen door slap closed, and you went into your bedroom. You began unpacking what you felt like. After unpacking about half of one bag, you ate some food, set an alarm on your phone, brushed your teeth, and passed out on your bed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay okay, the last chapter was just setting up the story. sorry for no guzma yet
> 
> well that's changing here 
> 
> time 4 hte guzma

      You were conscious before you were awake. You could hear the moments before your alarm went off. Your eyes refused to open, and you turned to slap at your phone screen. The alarm stop, and you relaxed. Another alarm buzzed, snapping you awake. You sat up, remembering where you were and why you were there. You felt the tattoo on your skin through the shirt you wore. Relaxing, you turn off your alarm and trudge into the bathroom. You exit and head towards the kitchen, inspecting the cupboards for breakfast food. Spotting some Alolan cereal, it looks delicious. You find a bowl, and pour cereal in, then find some milk. It’s not the type you get at home, but it doesn’t bother you as you dump a good amount into your bowl. You sit on the couch in the living room, and switch on the television for some background noise. You shovel wet cereal into your mouth as you half-listen to the Alolan news.  
      “...Team Skull is expected to be responsible…”  
      “Island Kahunas are preparing….”  
      You finish your bowl and go to get dressed. Though you may be chilly in the air-conditioned house, you dress for the heat. You brush your teeth, grab a bottle of water, your bag, and step outside.  
Sure enough, Kukui’s already leaning against the railing next to the steps of the porch. He turn around at the sound of the door closing. You flash him a smile as you descend the stairs after locking up the house.  
      “You ready to see the islands?” He asks. You nod excitedly. “You’re gonna love it, it’s so colourful…” He pauses, face dropping. “Wait… you can see colours, right?” Your eyes flicker from the surprise of the sudden question and its tone. You shake your head.

      “My flower bloomed only a few days ago.” You explain. Kukui’s face falls.  
      “Man, the islands aren’t as amazing without the colour. I hope you meet your mate and come back here to see it in its full glory.” Kukui grins. “You wanna see my flower?” He offers excitedly. You shrug, and nod your head. He slides down his lab coat, turning, to reveal a grey that you recognize as yellow daffodil.  
      “It’s pretty,” you exclaim. Kukui nods. “Do you mind if I see yours?” He questions tentatively. Blood rushes to your face as you tug your collar down as far as it will allow, showing only a quarter or so of your scrubby daisy.  
      “How interesting,” the professor exclaims. “I’ve never seen a flower that looks as scruffed up as yours. Must have had a sad past,” he theorizes. You’re filled with a sudden dash of realization. Sad past? What did she go through? You shake those thought out of your head. You’ll learn when you meet her. Kukui must've noticed your struggle, because he hops on to the Charizard parked in front of your house. He pasts the spot behind me gently. You tentatively climb on, wrapping your arms around Kukui confidently, knowing what to expect now. He whispers something to the Charizard, and you take off.

      Kukui shows you the four islands, standing tall amid the glittering ocean. Each island varies greatly, and the professor explains something called the “Island trials”, where you traverse along the islands, earning things called z-crystals. When you express interest, he suggests you join the trials. You agree, and the two of you go flying off to Mele Mele island. You land in front of a house, and judging the way the professor struts up to the house, you assume it’s his house. He brings you in, and disappears into the house, only to return with three shiny pokeballs. Your eyes widen.  
      “I noticed you didn’t seem to have any Pokemon,” he explains. “I normally only do this for the little kids, but I hope you don’t mind.” He presses the Pokeballs into your hands. “There’s Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio. Grass, fire, and water.” You investigate each pokeball. Popplio, the water type. It piques your interest, reminding you of the Primplup your left in your parents’ care.  
      “I want Popplio,” you declare. Kukui plucks the pokeball from your right hand, leaving the other two in your left. He releases the Pokemon, revealing an adorable little seal in the middle of his house. You kneel down to meet him.  
“Hey lil’ bud,” you say softly, extending your hand towards him. He reaches out a flipper, then runs into your arms. You hug it gently, wanting to make sure he isn’t uncomfortable in your grip. Popplio clambers over your arms and onto your hunched over back. Kukui chuckles, watching as Popplio declares himself your Pokemon. Kukui hands you the empty Pokeball, and you pull the seal from over your head, bringing him down to meet you, face-to-face. You poke its nose gently, and he emits a sound similar to human laughter. You giggle.  
“I can give you a nickname, right?” You ask the blue Pokemon. He nods excitedly. “How about....” You trail off in though. You were never too good at naming things on the spot. “... Leonardo?” You suggest slowly. The Popplio claps its fins, obviously delighted. “Leo it is!” You exclaim, cuddling him.

\-------------------------

      Once you had figured out the ride pager, you were all over. You flew across the ocean too many times to count, watching the grey waves crash underneath you. You had acquired a few z-crystals, and you had caught a Grubbin early on, now a Charjabug, and you had heard of a cute little ghost pokemon you were on the lookout for. You were meeting up with Professor Kukui in Malie Gardens, and once you arrived, something was already off. You had already encountered plenty of Team Skull grunts, picking fights even though they were hopelessly outmatched, but there was someone new. Obviously from Team Skull, the man stood slumped, in a black tracksuit with white embellishments and the Team Skull insignia. He wore a pair of mismatched glasses, one side with a concave lense. They covered his eyes, not an uncommon sight. Eye colour was a serious topic. Your eye colour could lead you to your soulmate prematurely, and some wanted to avoid it for as long as they possibly could.  
      He had stark grey hair, with a dark undercut, which made you wonder. Did he dye his sides dark, or bleach his hair on top, or is it natural? You approached Kukui, and he sneered at you.  
      “Who’s this lil’ pipsqueak?” He teased. You were short, you knew, but that was a low blow. Literally. Your face turned red. You turned to Kukui.  
      “Professor, if you could so possibly introduce me to,” you glared furiously at the slumped man. “Your friend,” you hissed as nicely as you could manage. Kukui cleared his throat.  
      “(y/n), this is-” the man cut him off.  
      “I’m big, bad Guzma, leader of the scary Team Skull!” He posed dramatically. “You scared yet, pipsqueak?” Indescribable anger bubbled up inside of you.  
      “What do you want, lame-o,” you snarled. May not be the best insult, but it was all you had at the moment. You couldn’t think straight. What was going on? He smirked.  
      “I wanna fight yo’ lame ass,” he proclaimed. “Let’s go pipsqueak.” He threw out his first Pokemon. Your hands shook as you took out Leo  
      “Let’s go,” you said, glaring. Kukui shuffled a few steps away. The battle was somewhat underwhelming, and you won quickly. Guzma scratched the back of his head.  
      “Damn… I lost so easily,” he said, obviously disappointed and angry. You felt better, having won the battle, but you still felt… weird. Guzma stuck his hand into his pockets, fishing out a wad of cash. “Here,” he said gruffly, extending the prize money out. You reached your hand out, brushing your fingers against his slightly, and the garden exploded into colour.


	3. Watering the Garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *rubs hands together*  
> get ready for some angst!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've mentioned it before, but i apologize for ooc-guzma in advance lol
> 
> please remember that your character has just started seeing colour, as they touched Guzma's fingers at the end of the last chapter, so you are in the process of relearned colours and how they appear to you.
> 
> please enjoy~

You dropped the prize money in surprise as the colours flowed into your view. Guzma’s position changed. He stood straight, and you realized just how tall he was. His face melted into shock, and even though you couldn’t see behind the glasses, you could tell his eyes were wide open, as were yours.  
“You- the lil’- a boy?!” Guzma stuttered. You looked down at your hand in disbelief. Then looked up at Guzma. He pushed his glasses up, pushing his messy grey hair back. His eyes were still grey, though they had a bit of what you assumed was blue in them. He stumbled back against a gazebo. You looked back down at your (skin colour) hands, above green grass. You looked around at the explosion of colours, and your wide eyes met Kukui’s confused ones. With sudden realization, you snapped back to Guzma, now sitting slumped in the gazebo. You met his eyes, the tugged at your collar, staring at the white, wrinkled daisy on your chest. You looked back up at him.  
“You’re…” you trailed off. “You’re my-” your face twisted, and you looked away. You turned away from the slumped figure of Guzma, taking in the colours of the garden. You made your way slowly, distraught, to Kukui. He still stood, confused, and pressed a gentle hand to your shoulder.  
“What happened?” He asked softly, glancing at Guzma, still in the gazebo. You shook your head gently.  
“Guzma…” you tried to speak, your voice failing you. “He’s my-” You broke off, looking down at your hands. “The colours-” Kukui’s eyes widened, snapping his head from you to Guzma. You began to tear up, legs shaking. “They’re so pretty,” you whispered, and Kukui guided you down to the ground as tears streaked down your face. He placed both his hands on your shoulders reassuringly. “But-” you sniffled loudly. “I didn’t expect-” Kukui brought you to his chest, hugging you.  
“Sometimes, we expect great things, and we get them,” he whispered softly, comforting you. “But they don’t look great at first.” He pushes you away, wiping the tears from your red face. “He’s your soulmate for a reason, (y/n). At least go talk to him a bit.” You nod, sniveling, and wipe your face with your shirt. You stand up, turning around, and march over to where Guzma still sat, slumped, dazed. You sat next to him nervously.  
“Umm,” you tried to speak. “I think we should try that again, huh?” Guzma nods slowly, sitting up. He turns towards you, towering over you.  
“Hi, I’m (y/n),” you say, extending your arm out in a greeting. Remembering where you are, you hastily retract it, and replace it with the Alolan wave.  
“Hey, man. I’m Guzma,” he says quietly, waving a hand around crudely. You felt sick to your stomach. You hadn’t anticipated meeting your soulmate here, on tropical islands, hours away from your home and your family, and a guy, nonetheless, who was as crude as oil. You wanted to vomit, but you knew that you were overreacting and that would be rude. Guzma’s face turned a shade of red, and you realized he was blushing.  
“I uh,” he started. “You look a lil’ messed up.” You nodded solemnly in agreement. Guzma grabbed your hand and pulled it over to him, palm facing up, as he pulled out a marker from a pocket. He pulled the cap off with his teeth roughly, and began scribbling something onto your hand. ‘Please don’t be a dick’ you hoped. Guzma’s rough hands released your arm, and you jerked it back to stare at what was written. Ten messy, but recognizable numbers scrawled across your hand, separated by dashes.  
A phone number.  
You looked up at Guzma, eyes wide.  
“If we’re soulmates,” he paused, struggling for words. “We should try to… uh,” he scratched the hair behind his back nervously. “We should try to keep in touch, get to know each other, right?” You nodded, face blank. You opened your mouth to reply, but nothing came out. You closed your mouth, took a deep breath, and found your voice.  
“I’ll, uh, text you later,” you said hesitantly. Guzma nodded, satisfied. He stood up. He stood still for a moment, then extended his arms out to you.  
“I may not be, uh, whatever ya expected, but I hope we can, uh,” his arms fell a bit, before he brought them up, hopeful. “I hope we can work out whatever problems we have. You can text me whenever.” You realized he was trying to make amends for something he hadn’t done on purpose. You felt bad for the way you reacted, and accepted his hug. You nearly dove into his arms, pressing yourself against his chest, wrapping your arms around his torso. You could feel his somewhat soft torso, and if you had pressed your face into the hug, you’d meet the top of his stomach, at his solar plexus. He jumped slightly, startled by your sudden affection, and hesitantly brought his hands around you. His arms were warm, and you pressed into him more. You don’t remember being so upset, but suddenly you were sobbing into his chest.  
You felt so awful, making Guzma feel sad that he was your soulmate, and that he knew he didn’t meet your expectations, and you just felt so bad. You felt Guzma shake as he realized you were sobbing into his chest. You couldn’t stop crying. You let out your pent up emotions, sick of the pressure, upset of where you met your soulmate, upset that it was a boy, of all it could’ve been. But you felt upset that you were upset over that. You didn’t realize you had a set of expectations, and you felt ridiculously let down, most at yourself and your lack of acceptance.  
You pushed yourself back a bit, steadying yourself as you slowed your sobbing. Tears still ran down your face, but slower, as you calmed yourself. Guzma still had his arms wrapped around you loosely.  
“You better now?” he asked softly. You nodded, clearing your throat.  
“I’m sorry I got upset,” you apologized. “I’m just… angry at how I reacted. You shouldn’t feel bad, I’m the one who should feel bad for reacting so negatively.” Tears flowed steadily down your face again as you looked down at his white shoes, covered in scuff marks and dirt patches. His arms tightened around you, bringing you to his chest again in a gentle hug.  
“Naw, I know I’m not the best person,” He responded softly. “You have a right to be upset by me. I was a lil’ surprised that you of all people would be it…” He trailed off. “But I’m not angry of how you reacted. I’m sure you weren’t expecting big ol’ me to be your soulmate, of all people.” You nodded into his chest, crying softly into his chest. He began to rub circles on your back, calming you down.  
It took you a bit, but you calmed down with Guzma’s help. He came off as intimidating, but he seemed like the definition of ‘tough love’. He released his arms from around you, and they fell, empty, by his sides. You stepped back, rubbing the tears off of your face. Guzma realized something, and rummaged around in his pockets. He pulled out a tissue, and handed it to you.  
“Thanks,” you rasped, and blew your nose and quietly as you could. You looked at the entrance of the garden. Kukui was gone. You searched around for him, and spotted him a little farther down, in the town. He must’ve felt awkward watching you two have your emotional moment, and strolled off politely. You appreciated his sense of privacy as you turned back to Guzma. He shoved his hands into his pockets.  
“Do… do ya want me to walk you home or somethin’?” He questioned softly. His hands fidgeted in his pockets, and giggled softly.  
“I live on Akala Island, so I mean, it wouldn’t be walking home…” You explained, trailing off. Guzma laughed.  
“How do you even get around?” He inquired, interested. You pulled out your ride pager and called for a Charizard with the press of your fingertips. You slipped it into your bag, and looked back up at Guzma.  
“And now, we wait.”  
It took a bit, but the Charizard appeared, landing hard in front of the gazebo the two of you stood in. Guzma jumped back, obviously scared.  
“What th’ hell is that thing doin’ here?!” He just about screamed. You laughed, and grabbed one of his hands.  
“Ride pager. It calls pokemon to help you out,” you explained. You released his hand, sitting up on the what you assumed was orange dragon. You were still taking in the colours, and everything seemed so different with the colours. Guzma took a step back.  
“Nah, I’m good. I like dirt, an’ solid ground,” he shot. You pouted slightly.  
“You offered to walk me home.” You smirked at him. “Unless you don’t want to fulfill your offer?” Guzma flushed. He opened his mouth, but was cut off by a voice.  
“Are you two all sorted out?” Asked an out-of-breath Kukui. You paused for a second, glancing at Guzma, and nodded at Kukui  
“I think we can handle it,” you assured him. The professor nodded slowly.  
“You know where to find me, (y/n).” And with that, Kukui continued his stroll around Malie City. You turned back to Guzma on the ground.  
“You coming?” You asked, extending your hand out. Guzma shook his head.  
“I must be crazy,” he whispered loudly as he took your outstretched hand, climbing onto the huge Charizard. He sat a bit behind you, leaving space between you. You leaned foreward to the Charizard’s head.  
“Can you please take us to Route 6 on Akala island?” You requested softly. The Charizard let out a small flame and spread its wings, and the two of you too off. Guzma yelled in surprise, grappling onto you as you gained altitude quickly. You laughed, remembering your first time on the Charizard. You held onto the orange dragon with your feet and your left hand, reaching your right up to hold Guzma’s hand reassuringly. He choked out a surprised yell. He now sat pressed into you, his warm chest heating you as you flew up in the chilly air among the clouds. You looked down at the islands, teeming with colour. You saw the beautiful dark blue ocean waves, capped with white peaks, and the green foliage accented with the different colours of flowers and berries. You tapped Guzma’s hand excitedly, your face breaking into an ecstatic grin.  
“Guzma, look at the islands!” You yelled back at him. Guzma pulled himself up, adjusting himself on the back of the Charizard, and, still clamped down on you, he leaned over carefully, eyes widening as he took in the beautiful view.  
“I’ve never seen the island like this,” he said in your ear, surprising you with his tone and sudden closeness as you shivered. You felt his grip on you relaxing as the two of you flew steadily over the islands. You flew above the island, circling over your route, and you saw the bright orange rock bubbling up on the top of the volcanic crater. You had learned before that the volcano was harmless, though still active. The trial captain you had met along your expedition, Kiawe, directed the lava right to the ocean and out of harm. Your thoughts were broken as you began your descent, hurtling down towards where your house sat.  
Guzma let out another yell, tightening his grip on you, and you let out a pained laugh. You stopped right in front of your house, and you rewarded the Charizard some nice Poke beans. You turned to Guzma, leaning against porch railing, catching breath. You laughed as he wheezed, hands on his knees. Was this guy really the big, bad leader of Team Skull? You shook the thought as you walked up your steps, pulling out your keys and unlocking the door. You opened it, and turned to Guzma.  
“You coming in?” You asked, tilting your head. Guzma stood straight, then returned to his slouch. He nodded, and walked in behind you. You pointed to each room, naming it as you did so, and when you finished, you turned back to him. You opened your mouth to say something, but a grumbling broke your train of thought. You laughed, embarrassed, and ask; “You hungry?’


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ahhhhh so remember your land lady
> 
> shes great okay
> 
> everyone of my friends loves linda for some reason
> 
> i mean,,, i love her too
> 
> buT SHES NOT THE ONE I WANT YOU TO PAY ATTENTION T O
> 
> anyways you make lunch and guzma meets your landlady

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i literally copy and paste this from my google doc so i have no idea how formatting translates onto this website and i have no idea how to make it actually DO STUFF so yeah im sorry about my bad formatting but yes i do understand where indents go and stuff sO
> 
> please remember that you've only recently started seeing colour, so you're still learning to match up the colours with the names
> 
> please enjoy~

Guzma sat at your counter, tracing the patterns subconsciously, as you pulled out your ingredients.  
“You good with grilled cheese?” You asked, turning around from your fridge. He nodded, stomach protesting loudly, and blushed. You watched as the what you knew to be pink spread across his face. He coughed, snapping you out of your stupor.  
“Am I that good-lookin’?” Guzma teased, sending your own pink across your face. Guzma chuckled at the sight, resting his head on his hand fondly, watching you get to work. You cut off a piece of butter, slapping it into the pan. It melted, bubbling, and you tossed in a piece of bread. You put on a few piece of cheese, before covering it in another piece of bread. You let it sit, before flipping it. As you waited for the second half to toast, you rummaged around for plates and potato chips. You found the plates first, and pulled two out. You paused your search to take the grilled cheese off of the pan, repeating the process for another sandwich, and continued looking for your chips. You bent over to search the lower cabinets, and Guzma let out a half-hearted whistle. You straightened, your face turning red, and glared at him. He laughed, slapping his hand down on your counter. The grilled cheese sizzled in the background.  
“I wanted to see how you’d react, and your face was priceless!” Guzma exclaimed. You turned back to your grilled cheese, flipping it. You returned to your lower cabinets, leaning down as little as you could. Guzme let out a disappointed sigh. You retracted your hand, clamped around the potato chips, and finished preparing your two dishes. You gave the colder one to Guzma as a notation of passive-aggressiveness, and sat down next to him. You took your first bite, and a knock at the door was hear. You groaned, sadly putting your grilled cheese down on your plate. You trudge over to the door, opening it to see the middle-aged Linda standing there. Your face lit up.  
“Linda!” You exclaimed. “I haven’t seen you in a while, how’s your wife?” Linda chuckled.   
“We’re good, how’s your journey going?” She inquired. “Find anything great?” You looked at her face as she talked. Her eyes were the same colour as the ocean, a deep blue, and her previously dark grey hair with lighter strands was now a deep brown, with some lighter strands throughout. Linda noticed you observing her, her face morphing into different emotions before settling on a confused look. You widened your eyes before snapping out of your train of thought, blushing slightly. “Did you…” she trailed off suggestively. You opened up the door, revealing Guzma behind you.  
“Linda…” you trailed off, suddenly nervous. “This is Guzma, as you may have heard. He’s uh, my soulmate,” you finished, anxious to her reply. Her face melded into one of surprise, though you weren’t sure if it was a good or bad surprise. She looked at you, her ocean-blue eyes looking right at your soul. You felt anxiety building in your chest as you waited for her reply. You heard the stool scratch the floor as Guzma presumably stood up.  
“(y/n)? Who’s there?” He questioned gruffly. You opened up the door, revealing the tall leader of Team Skull to your landlady. You shrunk, your eyes darting around nervously. Linda shook her head.  
“Why, (y/n), I’m so happy for you!” Her face of surprise broke into one displaying proudness. “I didn’t expect you to meet your soulmate here, after you told me why you were here!” You laughed nervously.  
“I wasn’t expecting it either…” you trailed off, remembering where you are, and where your parents are. Parents. You remembered they had expected you to find a nice girl after your trip. You slapped a hand up to your forehead. “What will my parents say!” Guzma placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder.  
“They’ll understand, (y/n),” he comforted you. You nodded sadly. Linda clapped her hands together excitedly.  
“Will he be staying for dinner? I’ll have to make you two a nice dinner!” Linda asked, nearly bouncing in excitement. You smiled fondly at the energetic middle-aged woman.  
“That’d be great, Linda,” you said, genuinely grateful. “Thank you.” Linda took a step back.  
“I’d better start planning!” Linda was almost about to sprint back to her house, and you stifled a laugh. “You two lovebirds need a nice big dinner!” You and Guzma flushed together as Linda began half running, half walking back to her house. You stepped back, closing the door. You looked up at Guzma. After a few moments of silence, you both burst out into laughter. Guzma clapped his hands onto his knees, supporting himself as laughter shook him. You leaned flat against the wall, hands wrapped around your stomach as you giggled. Linda certainly was an interesting lady, and you appreciated her support here on the islands. You both calmed down, still letting loose a stray giggle here and there as you both sat down at the counter and ate your sandwiches. Guzma suddenly let out a strangled laugh through a mouthful of potato chips. Struggling to catch his breath, he manages to spit out a few words, along with chewed-up bits of potato chips.  
“Better not- pfft haha,” he said, breaking off into a forced-back giggle. “Better not eat too fast!” Guzma rushed out, before breaking into a laughing fit. Your snorted, mouth full of your grilled cheese, as you tried not to choke on your food laughing.


End file.
